DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival focus

In January 2012, DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival brings fresh and topical documentary films from all over the world to the screens of Helsinki's cinemas.

The selection of documentary films dealing with the present situation and the cultural issues of the Arab World sinks its teeth into the events of the Arab Spring and the changes in the Islamic culture. For example, Tahrir - Liberation Square (2011) follows the demonstrators for two weeks at the occupied Tahrir Square showing the reality of the uprising behind the newspaper headlines. Waiting for Abu Sayd (2010) introduces us a liberal researcher who rises against Islam but whose actions comes at a price.

Thicker than Water is a selection of films about families and communities.
Many of the films point out how the concept of family varies in different parts of the world: Position among the Stars (2011) is a portrait of family living in the slums of Jakarta, whereas Phnom Penh Lullaby (2011) is a story of a Cambodian family. The festival also proudly presents the IDFA 2011 Winner Planet of Snail (2011), a charming story of deaf and blind Young-Chan and his wife, who rely only on their tactical senses in communication.

DocPoint 2012 will also host numerous guests. The award-winning documentary film director and Eyal Sivan (b. 1964) arrives to the festival. As a well-known critic of the Israeli government, he has boldly commented on the political issues of the Middle East in his films such as Jaffa, the Orange’s Clockwork (2009) and Izkor: Slaves of Memory (1991). A retrospection of Sivan’s works is a part of the DocPoint festival programme, and he’ll be giving a Masterclass Lecture on the festival Sunday for the film students, professionals and anyone interested in film making.

The 11th DocPoint Festival takes place from 24th to 29th January 2012. The festival programme will be published and the press accreditation begins in the beginning of January 2012.